Apparatus for distributing barbed metal band



1950 A. B. WILSON 2,948,049

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING BARBED METAL BAND Filed Dec. 7, 1955 4Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

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Aug. 9, 1960 A. B. WILSON 2,948,049

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING BARBED METAL BAND Filed Dec. 7, 1955 4Sheets-Sheet 2 g, \Q iii, I: l

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Aug. 9, 1960 A. B. WILSON 2,948,049

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING BARBED METAL BAND Filed Dec. 7, 1955 I 4Sheets-Sheet 4 atent Patented Aug. 9, 1960 ice APPARATUS FORDISTRIBUTINGBARBED METAL BAND Allen B. Wilson, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Acme SteelCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 7, 1955,Ser. No. 551,707

4 Claims. (Cl. 29-7.1)

This invention relates to apparatus for distributing and using barbedmetal band such as that which may be used in forming entanglements orbarricades for military purposes. Such obstructions have heretofore beenformed of ordinary barbed wire formed of two strands of round wiretwisted together in helical fashion and having interlocked therewith atintervals barbs formed by coiled portions of wire having sharpened ends.This barbed wire is difl'lcult to handle and is generally so flexiblethat it cannot be put in the place of use except by a manual operation.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide novel apparatus bywhich barbed metal band may be formed in a continuous process anddistributed as it is formed in the place and arrangement in which it isto be used. A further object of the invention is to provide apparatusfor distributing barbed metal band according to a prearranged plan andsupporting it in the arrangement in which it is distributed. Anotherobject is to provide portable apparatus having means for forming barbedmetal band from a supply of fiat strip ma terial and for distributingthe barbed band and arranging it during the travel of the apparatus.Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangementwhich will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the followingspecification taken with the accompanying drawings in which oneembodiment is illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a top plan view of a barbed metal band which may beformed and distributed by the use of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows an end elevation of the barbed metm band illustrated inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a top plan view of a fiat metalstzrip which has beenslitted along its edges to form inclined pointed portions which areadapted to be bent into. the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when the stripis moved endwise through suitable apparatus;

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged transverse section through a portion of thecompleted barbed metal band shown in Fig. 1, illustrating in elevation aportion of a barb bending apparatus which may be used to produce thebarbed metal band shown in Fig. 1' from the slitted band shown in Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4, showing a transverse sectionthrough the barbed band at a place spaced from that shown in Fig. 4,illustrating a barb projecting from the body of the strip at anotherangle;

Fig. 6 shows a vertical section through a machine which may be employedto produce from the slitted metal strip shown in Fig. 3 the barbed bandshown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 7 shows a vertical section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a portion of the forming apparatusillustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, illustrating the operation of the dies ofthis machine in bending the slitted edge portions of the metal strip;

Fig. 9 shows a top plan view of the portable apparatus of the presentinvention by which the barbed metal band is formed, distributed and putinto use in a continuous process;

Fig. 10 shows a side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 shows a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view of an improvedmilitary obstruction or entanglement formed with the use of theapparatus of the present invention, a portion of which is illustrated bya top plan View;

Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of two spaced supports for the barbedmetal band which are embodied in the construction shown in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 shows a perspective view of one of the frame members embodied inthe construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12, illustrating one of the hooksfor engaging the barbed metal band.

The present invention may be used to form and distribute barbed metalband of various forms but it preferably forms and distributes the formof barbed metal band shown in Figs. 1 and 2 which is described andclaimed in the copending application of Chester M. MacChesney and AllenB. Wilson, Serial No. 551,684, filed December 7, 1955 This band isproduced from the slitted metal strip shown in Fig. 3. This barbed metalband comprises a flat metal band 10 provided along its center with aseries of spaced index holes 100, which are adapted to position the bandin the machine of the present invention by which it maybe formed, andhaving along its edges two series of radiating spikes or barbs which aresimilarly constructed and similarly located at each edge of the band.These radiating spikes or barbs at each edge of the band include barbs10b which are arranged at relatively small angles to the plane of theband and which diverge in opposite directions from that plane. Eachseries of barbs also includes two barbs 100 which diverge in oppositedirections from the plane of the band 10 at substantially greaterangles, as shown in Fig. 2. The barbs are spaced apart longitudinally ofthe band and each pair of barbs 10b which are directed in oppositedirections from the plane of the band are preferably located adjacenteach other and between two pairs of barbs which diverge from the planeof the band at greater angles. There is thus formed a fiat metal band 10having two series of divergent spikes or barbs located along itsopposite edges and arranged in the same manner at each edge. Due to thedistribution of the barbs substantially around all parts of the band 10,this barbed metal band is well adapted for use in military operationswhere it is desired to provide a barricade to prevent the passage oftroops and this construction is also well suited for the construction offences and the like where it is desired to prevent the passage of cattleor other animals with a minimum use of fencing material.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings there is illustrated the flat metal strip 10dfrom which the finished product shown in Fig. l is formed. This flatmetal, strip is run endwise through a punch press or through suitableslitting rolls to form along the center of the strip a series of equallyspaced index holes 10a and also to slit the strip along diagonal linesat its opposite edges to form the cuts 102 and 10 which are located atacute angles with respect to theedges of the metal strip, thus formingalong both edges of this strip a series of attached sharp portions 10gwhich are adapted to be bent from the plane of the strip to produce thebarbed band which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the sharp portions 10gbecoming the barbs b and 10c which have previously been described. Themetal strip 10d may be a comparatively thin steel strip, having athickness, for example, of about thirtyfive thousandths of an inch(0.035"), and it should be quite flexible so that the finished band maybe readily manipulated when it is put into use.

The barbed metal band described above is adapted to be produced from theslitted strip shown in Fig. 3 by the use of the machine which isillustrated in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive. This machine is the invention ofGeorge E. Rasmussen and is described and claimed in his copendingapplication Serial No. 551,674, filed December 7, 1955.

The slitted band may be formed at any desired location and is placed inthe apparatus of the present invention at that location, or at the placeof use where the barbed metal band is formed by the machine, anddistributed in one operation. This band forming machine comprises a base12 on which are mounted two upstanding parallel frame members 13 inwhich are journalled two shafts 14 and 15. These shafts are journalledin bushings lfi mounted in the frame members and they extend parallel toeach other in horizontal planes. The shafts have projecting portions 14aand 14b extending beyond one of the frame members 13 and having securedthereon two gears 17 which mesh with each other so that the shaftsrotate in unison. One of the shafts 14 or 15 is connected to poweractuated driving mechanism, as hereinafter described, so that themachine may be continuously operated when it is in use.

The shafts 14 and 15 have enlarged central portions 14b and 15b locatedbetween the bushings 16 and journalled in surrounding cylinders or drums18, two of which are provided for each shaft. These drums are secured tothe frames 13 by studs 19, the heads of which are located in recessesformed in the inner faces of the drums as shown in Fig. 7. Each shaft isthus journalled in its own bushing 16 and also in its associated drumsor cylinders 18.

The inner faces of the two drums 18 of each shaft are spaced apart andin these spaces there are mounted two disks 20 and 21 which are fixedupon the shafts 14 and 15, respectively, and which are adapted to rotatein the direction indicated by the arrows 22 shown in Fig. 6. The upperdisk 20 is provided on its peripheral surface with a plurality ofradially projecting pins 20a which are adapted to engage the index holes10a in the metal strip when this strip is passed between the two disksin the direction indicated by the arrow 23 in Fig. 6. The pins 20a,after passing through the index holes 10a are adapted to be received byrecesses 21a formed in the lower disk 21. Of course, this registrationof the pins 20a and recesses 21a with respect to the holes 10a in themetal strip occurs only when these parts are at, or in proximity to, avertical plane containing the axes of the shafts 14 and 15. By thisregistering means, the metal strip 10d being operated upon and its sharpportions 10g are located always in proper relationship to the partscarried by the disks 20 and 21 which operate upon the sharp projections10g to bend them transversely to the strip. h Theupper disk 20 has fixedthereon and projecting laterally therefrom in opposite directions twoseries of equally spaced fixed dies 20b and each disk 20 also havepivotally mounted thereon, and on each side thereof, an annular seriesof relatively movable die members 20c which are pivotally mounted on thedisk by means of pins 24 and spaced equal distances apart. Eachpivotally mounted die member 20c has a body portion 20d which has aninner curved surface adapted to rest normally upon the outercylindrical'surface of one of the drums 18 and each die member 20c alsohas a radially extending 20c adapted to cooperate with the fixed diemembers carried by the disk 21. In effecting the bending of the-sharpedge portions 10g of the metal strip,

- 4 the portions 20d of the die members 200 trail behind the pivot pins24 as the disk is rotated.

Similarly, the other disk 21 is provided with two series of relativelyfixed dies 21b which are spaced apart equal distances around theperiphery of the disk and which project laterally from both edges of thedisk for cooperation with the movable die members 20c which are mountedupon the other disk 20; The disk 21 also has mounted thereon two seriesof pivoted die membcrs 21c which are pivoted on the disk by means ofpins 25'. These die members 216 are similar to the die members 200, eachcompfising a body portion 21d having an inner curved surface adapted tocoact with the peripheral surface of a drum 18 and having also anoutwardly extending portion 21e adapted to cooperate with the stationarydie members 200 of the other disk in effecting the sharpened portions10g which have been formed along the edge of the metal strip.

In the operation of the machine, the metal strip 10d, which has beenslitted along the lines 10:: and 10 is moved through the disks 20 and 21in the direction of the arrow 23 by the engagement of the pins 20a withthe holes 10a in the strip and by the engagement therewith of the diemembers which are then operating to bend the portions 10g of the strip.Assuming that one of the sharp slitted portions 103 is approaching theadjacent parts of the disks 20 and 21, and assuming that this part 10gis in position to be engaged by a die member 20c on the upper side ofthe strip, as viewed in Figs. 6 and 8, the portion 202 of the pivoteddie member 2150 engages the upper side of the metal strip and bends itdownwardly and outwardly against the adjacent die 21b which is carriedby the disk 21, as shown particularly in Fig. 8. The die member 21b hasa face 21 extending in a general radial direction in relation to theaxis of the disk 21, against which portion 10g of the metal strip isbent. At the same time, the edge portion of the strip 10d at andadjacent to the base of the portion" 10g coacts with an inclined surface21;; of the die 21b. as shown in Fig. 8, with the result that the edgeportion of the strip is bent upwardly as shown at 10h. This upwardbending of the edge portion of the strip determines the direction inwhich the part 10g extends to form one of the barbs 10b or 100. Some ofthe die surfaces 21g are inclined in such a direction that they causethe barbs to be directed in the manner of the barbs 10b, as shown inFig. 2, and other die surfaces 21g are in the manner of the barbs 10c.The inclined faces 21g of the dies 21b are shown in Figs. 4 and 5 andtheir different inclinations result in the difierent angles of theresulting barbs.

The end faces 21) and the inclined faces 21g of the dies 21b arearranged differently on alternate die members and the die members 20bcarried by the disk 20' are similarly formed to cooperate with thepivoted die members 210 on the disk 21. The slits 10a and 10f in themetal strip 10d are staggered with respect to each other on oppositesides of the strip and the arrangement of the dies 20b, 20c, 21b and 210on the disk is such that the portions 10g of the strip on opposite sidesof the strip will be engaged and bent alternately in succession as thestrip moves between the disks, with the result that the slitted portions10g are rapidly bent from the plane of the strip to the variouspositions which are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby resulting in therapid production of a flexible barbed band capable of the uses whichhave been referred to above.

In the operation of the machine, the pivoted die members 20c and 210normally contact the cylindrical surfaces of the associated drums 18and, in order to prevent the parts 20e and 212 of the pivoted diemembers from catching on the'relatively fixed die members 21c and 20c,respectively, when a pivoted die member and a fixed die member aremoving away from the zone where the bending operation takes place, thedrums 18 are provided with recesses 18a, extending through considerabledistances on both sides of the vertical plane passing through the axesof the shafts 14 and 15, so that the tail portion of a pivoted diemember200 or 21c is permitted to move into the adjacent recess to allow thepivoted dog to tilt so that the arm 20a and Zle thereof will pass by theadjacent relatively fixed die 21b or 20b.

The present invention is directed primarily to means for distributingand using barbed metal band, preferably of the form shown in Figs. 1 and2, which may preferably be formed by the use of the machine shown inFigs. 4 to 8, inclusive. I

In Figs. 9 and of the drawings, the apparatus of the invention is shownas being mounted upon an automobile or motor truck 30 which ispreferably a vehicle having a short wheel base, such as the one known asa Jeep. 'Ihis truck has a body 31 mounted on wheels 32 and provided witha rear deck or platform 33 on which the apparatus of the presentinvention is mounted in a position accessible to the occupants of theseats 34. Through the steering wheel 35 this truck is capable of makingsharp turns and of being manipulated in relatively small areas.

On the deck 33, between the rear fenders 36, there is mounted a reel 37on which is wound a coil 38 of the slitted metal strip'10d describedabove. This reel is carried by a shaft 39 mounted to rotate in bearingbrackets 40 and the slitted strip 38 is withdrawn from the reel by thedisks 20 and 21 of the barb forming machine which has its base 12secured to the deck 33 at the rear of the reel. The shaft 14, on whichthe disk 20 is mounted, extends laterally and has its opposite endjournalled in a bearing bracket 42 secured to the deck 33. At anintermediate point, the shaft 14 has fixed thereon a sprocket wheel 43which meshes with a sprocket chain 44 driven by a sprocket wheel 45fixed on the shaft of a motor 46. This motor is mounted in fixedposition on the deck 33 and may be driven by the battery of the vehicle30. With this arrangement, the disks 20 and 21 are power driven and thebarbed metal band 10 is formed continuously while the motor 46 is inoperation.

As the barbed metal band is discharged by the disks 20 and 21, it isprojected through a delivery tube or spout 50 which is mounted on aframe 51 secured to the rear portion of the deck 33. The tube 50 isrotatably mounted and held against endwise movement in bearings 52carried by the frame 51 and it is inclined upwardly and rearwardly,preferably at an angle of about 40 or 45 degrees to the horizontal. Theinclined body portion 50a of the delivery tube or spout 50 extendsupwardly and rearwardly to a substantial extent, as shown in Fig. 11,and the tube terminates in a right-angularly disposed discharge portion5012 which is directed in a general downward or lateral direction fromthe axis of the body portion 50a, depending upon the angular position ofthe body portion.

In order to give an oscillatory movement to the delivery tube 50, forthe purpose of spraying the barbed metal band 10 over the desired area,the tube has fixed thereon, rearwardly of the bearings and adjacent toits flared mouth 500, a pinion 53 which meshes with a rack bar 54mounted to reciprocate laterally of the truck in a bracket 55 secured tothe frame 51. The rack bar terminates in an extension 54a on which ismounted a roller 56 arranged to travel in the eccentric groove 57aformed in the face of a cam disk 57. This cam disk is fixed on ahorizontal shaft 58 journalled in bearing members 59 fixed on the deck33. The forward end of the shaft 59 has fixed thereon a bevel gear 60arranged to mesh with another bevel gear 61 fixed on the motor drivenshaft 14. Thus, when the shaft 14 is rotating, the correspondingrotation of the cam disk 57' imparts a reciprocatory motion to the rackbar 54 with the result that the delivery tube 50 is also oscillated sothat the angularly disposed portion 5% thereof distributes the barbedmetal band over a substantial area.

The oscillatory motion of the delivery tube 50 may be? utilized, in.conjunction with the various possible movements of the supporting truckon its wheels 32, for distributing the barbed metal band quickly andaccording to a predetermined plan. For example, there is illustrated inFigs. 11 and 12, the use of the apparatus in forming a noveldistribution of the barbed metal band 10 on a series of upstandingsupports 65 which are spaced apart and secured-in place by spikes orstakes 66 driven into the ground. The supports 65 may preferably be oftwo different forms which are arranged alternately as shown in Fig. 12.One form comprises two pairs of upwardly diverging angle bars 67 whichare riveted at their lower ends to the upwardly extending flange of anangle bar 68 which rests on the ground and has its lower flangeapertured for engagement by the spikes 66. The top ends of the innermembers 67 of the two pairs are secured together and the top ends of theouter members 67 are secured to the top ends of vertical angle bars 69which have their lower ends secured to the horizontal members 68.

The alternate supports 65, shown in the lower part of Fig. 12, eachcomprise upwardly converging angle bars 70 which are secured at theirlower ends to the upstanding flange of a horizontal angle bar 71 havingits bottom flange resting on the ground and apertured for engagement bythe spikes 66. The top ends of the converging members 70 of each pairare secured together. The uppermost or outermost flanges of the anglebars 67, 69 and 70, which lie in planes at right angles to verticalplanes are provided with upwardly directed hooks 72 which are formed bypunching a portion of the metal out of these flanges and bending it toform a hook, as shown particularly in Fig. 13. These hooks are quiteclosely spaced on the angle bars and are adapted to engage and interlockwith strands of the barbed metal band which are dropped on them.

When the supports 65 have been secured in place on the ground by thespikes 66, the truck may be located at one side of the row of supports,as shown in Fig. 11, and, with the motor 46 running to cause thecontinuous production of the barbed metal band, the truck and thedelivery tube 50 are manipulated to distribute the barbed band over thesupports according to a predetermined plan such as that shown in Fig.11. As there shown, the barbed metal band 10 is laid in a plurality oftransverse series of loops 75, each of which' extends across threesupports 65. The adjacent arms 75a of the loops of each series areconnected at one end of the series by bends 75b and at the other end ofthe series by bends 750, thus forming a complete series of loopsextending transversely of the barricade over three supports 65. Theloops of the next series overlap those of the first series and aresupported partly by two supports 65 of the first series and partly by athird support 65 not engaged by any loops of the first series. In thisway the loops advance toward the right as viewed in Fig. 11 with theloops of more than one series resting on the same supports 65 except atthe ends of the row.

When the barbed metal band has been laid on the supports 65 with theconvolutions of the band engaging some of the hooks 72, the free ends ofthe books may preferably be hammered downwardly over the enclosedportions of the band to form tight interlooking engagements between thehooks and the band so that the convolutions of the band are heldsecurely in place.

As the barbed metal band 10 is laid to form the barricade orentanglement shown in Fig. 11, the truck carrying the distributingapparatus is moved toward and from the row of supports 65 and thedelivery tube 50 is oscillated laterally to form the loops. When oneseries of loops has been formed the truck is moved toward the right andpositoned to form the loops of the next series. As the barbed metal bandis formed by the disks 20 and 21 it is projected through the tube 50 andthe oscillating tube 50 then swings the band laterally to form the loopswhich descend by gravity and are automatically engaged and supported bythe hooks 72.

Although a single form of the apparatus of the invention has been shownand described by way of illustration, it will be understood that theapparatus may be constructed in various other embodiments which comewithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a vehicle including a platform and maneuverableover a distribution area, support means mounted on said platform to holda roll of flat metal strip during maneuvering of said vehicle over thedistribution area, forming means mounted on said platform adjacent tosaid support means for receiving the strip therefrom and forming thereonsharp projections to provide a barbed metal band during the maneuveringof said vehicle over the distribution area, distributing means mountedon said platform adjacent to said forming means to receive the barbedmetal band therefrom and to pay out and to distribute the band onto thedistribution area, and common drive mechanism for said forming means andsaid distributing means, whereby the strip is fed from said supportmeans to said forming means at a predetermined rate to provide barbedmetal band from said forming means to said distributing means at apredetermined rate and to pay out and distribute the barbed metal bandfrom said plat-form onto the distribution area at the predetermined rateand in a first predetermined pattern while said vehicle is maneuveredover the distribution area in a second predetermined pattern.

2. In combination with a vehicle including a platform and maneuverableover a distribution are-a, support means mounted on said platform tohold a roll of flat metal strip having its edges slit along diagonallines to provide a plurality of sharp portions thereon lyingsubstantially in the plane of the strip, bending means mounted on saidplatform adjacent to said support means for receiving the striptherefrom and bending the sharp portions out of the plane therefromprogressively to form a sharp metal band during maneuvering of saidvehicles over the distribution area, distributing means mounted on saidplatform adjacent to said bending means to receive the barbed metal bandtherefrom and to pay out and to distribute the band onto thedistribution area, and a common drive mechanism for said bending meansand said distributing means,

whereby the strip is fed from said support means to said bending meansat a predetermined rate to provide barbed metal band from said bendingmeans to said distributing means at a predetermined rate and to pay outand distribute the barbed metal band from said platform onto thedistribution area at the predetermined rate and in a first predeterminedpattern while said vehicle is maneuvered over the distribution area in asecond prede termined pattern.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein the distributing meansincludes a delivery tube'for receiving the barbed band therethrough, andmeans for moving said tube laterally as the barbed band is dischargedtherefrom.

4. In combination with a vehicle including a platform and maneuverableover a distribution area, support means mounted on said platform to holda roll of flat metal strip during maneuvering of said vehicle over thedistribution area, forming means mounted on said platform adjacent tosaid support means for receiving the strip therefrom and forming thereonsharp projections to provide a barbed metal band during the maneuveringof said vehicle the longitudinal axis of said first portion, whereby thestrip is fed from said support means to said forming means at apredetermined rate to provide barbed metal band from said forming meansto said delivery tube at a predetermined rate and to ,pay out anddistribute the barbed metal band from said platform onto thedistribution area at the predetermined rate and in a first predeterminedpattern while said vehicle is maneuvered over the distribution area in asecond predetermined pattern.

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